The leisure center promotes a healthy lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic through both fitness facilities and nutritional advice
Undergraduate Nutrition Majors at the University of Massachusetts continue to provide virtual nutritional counseling through the campus recreation center during the spring semester.
UMass students and members of the community who are members of the recreation center can register for nutritional counseling online. You will then be matched with a counselor with whom you can meet up to three times during the semester.
Amanda Koski, Senior Nutrition Major, started the program as a consultant last year and is now a program assistant for nutritional counseling. She manages 10+ student advisors by matching prospects with an adviser who matches them based on the clients’ online enrollment form. Koski is also training new student advisors, leading the advisory team and helping with the challenges the program faces this semester as being virtual.
The program is “for everyone, no matter what their goals are, no matter how familiar they are with nutrition. I think it was really good for the program itself that the students have another student to talk to about their eating habits, ”Koski said. “I think going to the doctor is so professional and it can be scary when people can open up.”
Because nutrition majors are the advisors for this program, participating students will be able to speak to fellow students who may relate to the struggles that college students in particular face.
According to Shannon Cloran, senior nutrition major and advisor, students often come to the program for general guidance as they navigate the dining rooms and cook for themselves for the first time. Others come in with specific fitness goals.
“People come from their homes where their parents used to go shopping and prepare meals,” said Cloran. “I think [it’s] very good for independence and growth. They know that instead of just looking at social media or what other people are doing, you are trying to help yourself and your health. “You’re trying to help yourself.”
The nutritional counseling program aims to create a comfortable environment in which clients will feel comfortable learning about their eating habits and health goals. Despite the interruption that sometimes occurs in virtual meetings, customers benefit from connecting with a fellow student who is also knowledgeable about health and wellness.
Senior kinesiology student Alicia Spitzner took advantage of nutritional advice at the recovery center last year before COVID-19 forced the university to move to remote activities. Spitzner had problems cooking for himself for the first time in addition to coping with her dietary restrictions.
“It was nice to know that a lot of the things I said could probably relate to what is kind of nice,” said Spitzner. “[It was] just the right level of professionalism for a casual thing that I liked very much because I felt very comfortable. “
The transition to virtual counseling presented the program with many challenges. According to Koski, there has been a sharp drop in customer engagement since switching to Remote. The recreation center is promoting the program on their Instagram, but she feels that pedestrian traffic in the recreation center is the best way to attract new customers. The program also shortened consultation hours due to a lack of funding and client involvement.
“Right now, it’s really important that people treat their bodies the right way and make sure they are taking in their micronutrients because we’re just so sedentary now,” Koski said. “I think it is the entire lifestyle change that has been very difficult for people and a lot of our clients definitely bring this up to their advisors and say, ‘I need help figuring out how to get back into healthier mindsets can. ‘It has been good for people to have nutritional advice they can rely on and to help them get back to healthier mindsets. “
Leigh Appelstein can be reached at [email protected] Follow her on Twitter @LAppelstein.
